Pipes used in the drilling, production, and transportation of oil and gas have internal and external threaded ends. Various protectors for threaded pipe ends have been proposed. Generally, these pipe thread protectors have threads that are turned onto the threads of the pipes. These protectors are subject to many problems including vibrating loose and falling off during transport or popping off during extreme temperature changes, such as found in arctic and tropic enviroments. Protectors that are threaded onto the pipe ends can be difficult to remove in a manner to allow for the re-use of the protector. Examples of prior U.S. patents relating to pipe thread protectors are described as follows:
Brownstein in U.S. Pat. No. 1,860,886 discloses a metal band pipe protector that is interlocked into a sleeve. The sleeve has a plurality of thread engaging lugs for retaining the protector in assembled relation on the pipe.
Phillips in U.S. Pat No. 2,627,877 shows a thread protector having a sleeve with threads adapted to thread onto the threads of the pipe.
Turley in U.S. Pat. No. 4,139,023 discloses a plastic pipe thread protector provided with threads that cooperate with the threads on the pipe to retain the protector on the pipe.